Dark Empire: The New Hunt
by DawnDayrider
Summary: For four days Skywalker has been tortured by that monster. He's not sure how much more he can take before the darkness claims him for good. Closing his eyes he wonders how had this happened. How, after so long of being hunted by that monster, did he find himself in its clutches. He thinks about Leia, who had saved him, but is now being tortured by that monster. This is how.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights go to Lucas Film._

 _I have not read Dark Empire, but only because I have no known way of doing so. If someone knows of a legal way to read those comics then PLEASE let me know. As such some details will probably be wrong, though I have learned as much as I could about that time period._

 **Dark Empire: The New Hunt**

 **Prolog**

Skywalker sat up on the hard bench of his cell. He had no idea how long he had been in here. Had it been days? Weeks? Months? Years? "No." He decided. It had only been four days. Four days of being tortured by that monster.

"How had this happened?" He thinks to himself. "I had been so close. So close but now…" He looks to the door as it opens revealing the monster who had him locked up. He looks down, unable to look the monster in the face.

"Are you finally going to give in?" it asks.

Skywalker shakes his head. "No. I will never give in."

"But the Dark Side longs for you to join once more." The monster says, "You gave in once. Why not again?"

"Because during my time under its influence I caused so much pain and despair to so many beings. I do not wish to do so again."

The monster laughed. "So? Those beings probably deserved it."

"But they did not." Skywalker insists.

The monster scoffs. "Says who? The Jedi? What do they care? They never cared as evident by the Clone Wars which brought about their destruction. And now you are the last."

"No. Leia is one too." Skywalker reminded the monster.

"Not for long. She is very close to breaking. So she will give in and will join me, as you will."

Skywalker shakes his head. He does not want to believe this monster, but knows that it will never lie to him. Leia, she cannot be close to falling. Not her too. But her children and husband, while her greatest strength, are also her greatest weakness.

Skywalker lifts his head and braces himself. He looks the monster in the eyes as much as possible. He was so close to defeating this monster, but then Leia was hurt, he lost focus and then the monster cut off his left prosthetic hand and the destroyed his lightsaber in one movement. Unarmed the monster unleashed Force Lightning on them until they lost consciousness. When he woke up he was in this cell. Alone and cut off from the Force. The torture began that day.

Skywalker lets out a deep sigh. "Why will you not let go? Let go of the Dark and come back to the Light." He begs the monster.

The monster laughs. "You know, I remember a time were you told to do just the opposite."

Skywalker closes his eyes remembering that time. He opens them again and stares into the yellow orbs of the monster's eyes. "I was wrong then. I was wrong to want to condemn you."

"No, you were right. I was wrong for not joining you then." The monster retorts, "But now that can change."

Skywalker shakes his head, "Not like this. I will not turn."

"But I need your help. You are the only one who can complete my training."

"I will. As a Jedi." Skywalker response.

"That's not what I meant." The monster complains.

Skywalker sighs. He looks at the monster's eyes with pleading in his own. "Please, for Leia's sake, for my sake, for your own sake, stop this and come home. Please Luke, come home."

Luke looks away and whispers, "I can't. I don't want to." He looks back. "Don't you see father? This is who I am now. Nothing can change that. If you would just join me then I can truly attain the rank of Sith Apprentice. You can be my master. Together we will destroy the New Republic and rule the galaxy as father and son. Just as you once wanted."

Anakin shakes his head. "But that is not what I want now. What I want is for you to let go and come home."

Luke looks away. "It's too late father. Too late."

He leaves and interrogators step in to begin yet another day of torture. As Anakin is dragged away he looks back at his son and sees tears in his eyes. He is dragged into a room and the door slams shut. Anakin looks up and wonders where and how this went so wrong.

 **A/N: This chapter, the whole story really, is inspired by the fic Darkness Reborn by Jade Pilot. Love that story and wish the author would have continued it, but didn't so this is my version of that idea, except with Luke and Anakin. Details about why Anakin's alive, how Luke captured him, how Luke fell ect, will be explained. Let's just say that RotJ's ending was a little different.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights go to Lucas film. This chapter isn't as good as it should be because I got really stumped and just wanted to get it up, plus my sister, who is my beta has been really busy so this has not been beta read. Also, since I have not read the comics, I am assuming Luke already destroyed the World Devastators by this point in my story._

 **Chapter one**

 _6 years ago. 4 ABY_

Luke struggled as he carried his father through the corridors of the second Death Star. His father had just saved him from the Emperor, and now Luke needed to save his father. As he walked through the hanger bay he stumbled and fell. He got back up and went to drag his father to some nearby shuttles.

"Luke." His father said. "Please. Just leave me."

Luke looked at his father and shook his head. "I can't." He said. "I can't just leave you here."

"But if you don't leave me…You may never get off in time." His father said.

Luke knew his father may be right, but he still couldn't bring himself to leave him.

"Luke. I will not last much longer, and you need to get off. And back to your sister. But before you go, please help me remove my mask so I can see you with my own eyes."

Luke hesitated, but complied knowing that this was his father's last wish. He reached over and lifted his father's helmet followed by his mask. After lifting the mask he looked into his father's eyes and saw that they were blue, like his own.

Anakin smiled weakly. "Now go." He said in a whisper.

"But…" Luke protested.

"No…You must go." Anakin urged. "Now that I have seen you…I am complete…So go…and don't look back."

Luke looked at his father. He couldn't leave him. He couldn't, but he knew his father was right. He put his father's mask and helmet back on, unable to look at his scared face, got up and started to walk away. He looked back once and then sprinted towards the nearest shuttle.

He boarded the shuttle and took off. Flying his way through the battle he made his way to the forest moon. Eventually he felt the Death Star explode. Tears started forming in his eyes. When he finally landed he burst into tears.

"W-why? I sh-should have saved him." He cried. "I-I should not have left him. He's dead…because of me. I wasn't strong enough." Luke shook his head. "No. T-this is what he wanted. I-I have to respect that." Calming himself down, he slowly made his way off the shuttle and towards the Ewok village.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Luke stood on a bridge alone in the moonlight. The celebrations were over, of which he was glad. He felt Leia coming near. She approached him, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Hey." She said.

Luke glances at him the looks back off into the distance.

Leia frowns. "Luke what's wrong. You were off on your own for most of the party. Why?"

Luke just shook his head. "He's dead Leia."

"You mean Vader." she said matter-of-factly.

Luke looks down. "Yes. He died because of…because he saved me. He died saving me form the Emperor. He died Anakin Skywalker, free of the Darks Side"

Leia just shrugs. "So? Isn't it a good thing he's gone?"

Luke looks at her confused. "What do you mean so? He's our father. He died to save my life. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Leia takes a deep breath to keep down her anger. "He's not my father! Bail Organa was, who Vader killed when he blew up Alderaan!"

Luke tilts his head. "I thought it was Tarkin who did that. He was the one who gave the order."

Leia threw her hands in the air. "Same thing! The point is that Vader is not my father, and never will be!"

Luke looks away. "I almost saved him. Almost got him off the Death Star but..." He whispers slowly.

Leia looks at her brother puzzled. "Why would you do that? Even if you did get him off all that would have happened is that he would have been tried as a war criminal and sentenced to death. And that's if the Alliance High Council were to even decide to give him a trial to begin with."

Luke looks off into the distance. "I suppose you're right." He looks down. "I burned his body, gave him a funeral worthy of a Jedi."

Leia looks at her brother. "Luke, that's sweet and all, but…"

"I also saw his spirt. He was with Obi-wan." Luke said cutting Leia off.

Leia shrugs and puts her hand on her brother's shoulder. "Come on Luke. You need to get some sleep."

Luke shakes his head and shrugs. "I'll be there soon."

Satisfied Leia returns to her cabin.

Luke stares off into the night wishing things were different.

' _Is that why you told me to leave you father?'_ he wonders. _'Because you knew that you would die anyway?'_

He leaves and heads to his cabin for the night.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

6 years later. 10 ABY

Lightsabers clashed. Green against red. Luke desperately fought the reborn Palpatine with the hope of ending him once and for all. But every strike he made was putting him closer and closer to the Dark Side.

"Good." Palpatine taunted "Your anger is growing, and yet you still refuse to use it. Even though it is the only way you can beat me!"

Palpatine shot out a Force Push knocking Luke back. Luke got back up and charged. He needed to end this! After, Palpatine was the one responsible for his father's death! He won't let him hurt his family again!

Luke swung his saber at the Emperor's head barely keeping control of his anger. He wanted to hate Palpatine for causing so much devastation to the galaxy, but mainly for his father's death.

"You blame me for your father's demise," Palaptine said, "But it just as much yours."

"No! It was your lightning that killed him!" Luke yelled, desperate to shake off the guilt.

"But you could have saved him. Could have got him off the Death Star. But you didn't because you were not strong enough."

Luke tried to shake those thoughts from his head.

' _But he's right. I wasn't strong enough. It's my fault. I left him to die.'_

Luke struck low, but Palpatine was prepared and blocked.

"Although," Palptine continued to taunt, "Would it have mattered? Your rebel friends would simply have killed him anyways. Especially the Princess." Palpatine smiled cruelly at that. "Your father's crimes were too much, as are yours. Do you really think that the New Republic will accept you back? That your sister will accept you?"

Luke stopped for a moment. _'He's right about that too…But it's not too late for me. She will not…_

"Her hated for your father is strong." Palptine said breaking Luke's train of thought. "Perhaps I should just kill you and take her on as my new apprentice."

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER! " Luke yelled and blindly shot out a Force push which tossed Palpatine into a wall. Luke the opportunity to strike, but Plaptine rolled out of the way. Palpatine telekinetically tossed some broken glass from the clone tubes Luke destroyed. Luke was forced to turn away to keep the glass from hitting his face. Palpatine followed his attack up with Force Lighting striking Luke's unprotected back.

Palptaine stopped and looked at young Skywalker and smiled. He could feel the darkness rolling off the young man.

Luke looked up, and blue now hardened with bits of gold in them. He had given in. He could not take it anymore. The guilt of leaving his father behind, the knowledge that even if he had gotten his father to safety he would have been killed anyway, and the threat of Palpatine hurting Leia. All of it was too much. He hated Plapatine, and could not, would not let it go.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Blue clashed against red as Leia fought desperately against her brother. She thought that she could save her brother and bring him home but…

"Luke please stop!" She begged. "Why are you doing this?"

Luke said nothing as he continued his assault. Leia knew that she wouldn't last much longer. It was clear to her that Luke was fighting in the hopes of capturing her.

"Luke, I don't understand. Why did you side with Palpatine?" She asked. "F-father," she stuttered, "was killed by him."

Luke glared at her. "No. He died because of me. I killed him, because I wasn't strong enough to save him."

Leia looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"I left him to die! I left him on the Death Star!" Luke yelled. "I could have saved, not that You would have cared."

"But I thought you said…" Leia trailed off.

"I said that with the hope that you would be more sympathetic. But I was wrong. You don't care about him and never will!"

Leia wanted to say that that wasn't true, but it would be a lie. And that would only make Luke even angrier. If only Vad…Anakin, was still alive then maybe Luke would snap out of it. Leia realized that Luke must have felt, no, feels guilty about leaving his…their father behind. Why had she never noticed? Why hadn't Luke said anything?

' _Because he thought that you didn't care.'_ A voice in her head said. _'He tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen, so he gave up.'_

A few tears dripped down Leia's face. "Luke I'm sorry." She whispered.

Their blades locked and Luke used this to push Leia to the ground. He raised his blade but was suddenly shot in the shoulder sending him flying back a little. Leia looked back and saw the Han and Chewie had somehow arrived.

"Get away from her!" Han yelled. He looked down at Leia. "I know you said that you needed to do this alone. That you could save him, but clearly you can't so let's go!"

Leia wasted no time getting up and running out the throne room door. She heard Luke and Palpatine shouting at each other, but ignored it. She ran and but turned suddenly.

"Leia! Where are you going?" Han yelled. Chewie roared also wondering.

"Follow me Han!" She yelled back. She didn't know where she was going, but the Force was clearly guiding her.

"Leia, we are trying to get out of the fortress, not go deeper into it." Han reminded her. Chewie roared in agreement.

"Han, just trust me." Leia begged. Han shrugged and followed after Leia.

After crawling their way through the fortress and taking out many guards. they made it to the spot the Force was telling Leia to go. Leia stopped and looked at what appeared to be a regular stone wall. She sensed, however, that this wall was anything but ordinary. She felt alone and felt some bricks move. It was then she saw that there was some sort of writing on them. But what kind of writing? She had never seen this kind before.

" _It..it is…Sith hiero…hieroglyphics."_ A faint and weak, yet framiliar voice told her. She looked around for the source but couldn't see anyone other than Han and Chewie. Looking back at what she now knows to be Sith hieroglyphics she now wonders what the password is.

" _Pla…Plagueis."_ The voice told her by showing a picture of what the symbols looked like to spell out the name. She did so and the wall moved revealing a doorway. Leia looked in. She, Han and Chewie entered. They made their way through a dark tunnel using Leia's lightsaber foe light. Leia could not seem to use the Force to pick anything up that could be in front of them, but she could still feel outside. Sighing she continued onward. Eventually they came to a large room.

"Where are we?" Han wondered.

"Han look!" Leia exclaimed. She pointed to a small bed. "There's someone in the middle of the room."

They ran over and saw someone on the bed. Leia stopped in her tracks. She knew who this man was. The Force was screaming at her. But how? He's dead!

 **A/N: Everything before this is canon. The only difference is that Luke, obviously, did not burn his father's body on the forest moon of Endor, therefor did not see his father as a Force ghost. Although he told Leia that he did. Really sorry about the quality. I'll do better next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

Leia looked on stunned. How could this be? The person in front of her has been dead for six years! How could Vad…Aankin still be alive? And yet here he is. Attached to all sorts of different machines, probably meant to keep him unconcise yet alive, and restraints over his neck and stomach. Looking at him Leia would have never recognized him if it wasn't for the Force. He had nothing on plus his arms and legs were missing. Even without the Force Leia could tell he was barley holding on.

"Leia?" Han asked.

Leia snapped out of her trance. She knows she needs to save him. No one, not even Darth Vader, deserves to be left in this state.

"Come on! We need to help him!" She quickly moved unhooking different machines to Anakin. Remembering that Vader had a respirator she looked around for a portable Oxygen mask. Finding one in a nearby cabinet she removed the breathing mask and put the portable one on.

"Ok. So how are you going to remove his restraints?" Han asked.

Leia looked at her husband. "Like this." She ignited her lightsaber and carefully cut the restraints. "Chewie can you carry him?" Chewie roared. "Thanks!"

Chewbacca carefully bent down to picked up Anakin.

"Alright. We need to get back to New Republic space so he can receive medical attention. I'll take the lead. Han cover me!"

Han wordlessly nodded. He knew better then to argue when she got like this. Upon reaching the door they stopped dead in their tracks, for Luke was standing in the doorway. Fortunately when he saw Anakin he was as stunned as Leia had been. She used to opportunity blast Luke into the wall with a Force Push. As they ran Luke looked on in shock. How was his father still alive? Whatever the reason his "master" will pay for keeping his father from him.

Running through the fortress Leia did her best to fend off the guards. She was really beginning to regret not finishing her training under her brother. Looking back over Han and Chewie she could see that they were getting tired. Eventually they finally reached the exit where the Millennium Falcon was waiting for them. Once on board Chewie put Anakin down on a Medical bunk. He removed the portable mask and put one of the Falocn's over his face and covered him with a sheet. Once that was done he ran to the cockpit to help Han.

Leia was in the bottom gun turret shooting down any Tie Fighter that got in her way till finally she saw the jump to hyperspace. Breathing a sigh of relief she got up to check on their new passenger. On the way Han met up with her. "So who is it that we just rescued? Do you know?"

Leia closed her eyes. "Yes."

"So who is it? Some Jedi?" Han asked.

Not knowing what to say or who to say it she just blurted out, "It's Anakin Skywalker."

Han's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "Anakin Skywalker?! As in Luke's father?! But I thought he said he was dead?!"

"I thought so too but I guess not."

"Well when you think about it, with Plaptine being alive I guess it shouldn't too big of a surprise that Vader is as well." Han joked weakly. "So uh, now what?"

"We get back to New Republic space and get him medical help. After that I don't know." Leia eyes wandered.

"You do realize that as soon as the Republic finds out who he is they will put him on trial and we all know how that will turn out."

"I know Han. That's why no one can know who he is. At least for now. I um, I'm going to go check on him."

Leia made her way to the back of the ship where Anakin lay. Looking at him a dozen thoughts raced through Leia's mind. There were so many question she needed to ask him, but that would have to wait until he awoke.

For now she needed to figure out a cover for him. She could just tell the truth, but that would just get him killed on the spot. Or, she could come up with some excuse for his actions as Vader. Yeah. Something like… that it was the suit controlling him. Yes. It was only thanks to Luke that he broke free. That could work, though she was unsure how Anakin would feel about that. Not that it matter since he was currently unconscious.

Deciding on that for Anakin's story she set off to get some rest, but first maybe some food. She was pregnant after all.

 **A/N: Sorry for the shorter chapter. A lot needs to be said and I could not find a way to cram it in one chapter. Anakin will wake up soon, hopefully, and Leia will finally get to ask her questions. Also, if any are confused about Palpatine still being alive this story is based off of a comic series in which he transferred his mind into a clone body, and turned Luke to the Dark Side. However, I find all that odd and out of place so this is my answer to those problems.**


End file.
